Politicians Parade, Pitch Pops, Pencils, Platforms!

Madison's Main Street enjoyed its highest politico-population density rating of the year Saturday morning, as all sorts of candidates found their way to town for Dakota State University's "Trojan Days" homecoming parade (Trojans—you know, those bad dudes in the Iliad!).

Below are some photos of some local and visiting pols who marched Main Street. We had great marching bands, too—for video of the mighty Bulldog band plus musicians from Chester, Howard, and other area schools, see musical coverage at RealMadison.org.

Mom Power! Democratic District 8 Senate candidate Scott Parsley smiles and shows off his secret campaign weapon: his mother Mary! Behind them, Lake County Democratic Party chair Joan Stamm is also smiling, thanks to all the donations pouring into the Dems' cash box. (Look out, GOP—we're catching up!)

Democratic District 8 House veteran and candidate Gerry Lange has the Lake Herman blog vote locked down; can the rest of District 8 be far behind?

Here's Dan Bohl, city commissioner, new blogger, and candidate for Lake County Commissioner, making sure no child is left without high blood sugar. (Note also the cool Lego float by the Madison Community Hospital!)

Hotfoot GOP Senate candidate Joel Dykstra either ran out of candy or doesn't want to get caught in front of the new Lake County Democrat headquarters.

DSU Foundation President and Lake County Commission candidate Chris Giles—maybe at parades, we need to call them candy-dates...

Here's Colman-Egan English teacher Val Parsley, working the crowd for her husband Scott and few of our other favorite Dems. (And yes, kids, your homework is still due Monday morning.)

Matt McLarty, Democratic candidate for the Public Utilities Commission—when even the PUC candidate makes time for the parade, you know he's serious!

Mad about Madison— Democratic District 8 House candidate Mitch Fargen is having a great time at the parade (and he's going knocking on doors afterward!).

My favorite zoning officer, Deb Reinicke, isn't running for anything... She just looks really cool on that bike. You sure you want to make a fuss about that building permit, tough guy?

Republican District 8 House candidate Patricia Stricherz and her husband march the parade route. They're both Army—this Main Street march ain't nothin' for vets like them!

GOP District 8 Senate candidate Russell Olson stops by Dems HQ for some opposition research....

Hey! Jerry Johnson (GOP D-8 House candidate)! Toss some candy this way! (I know, I sound like a typical liberal, expecting treats from government... but those Tootsie Rolls are good!)

I know, it's not much better than that famous Roger Patterson film of Bigfoot, but really, off in the distance, that's the missing half of Chris Lien's face! (Inset: the Lien Machine!)

No politician here... but it's nice to see the automatic pilot from Airplane! has found a new career at East River.

Hey, there's Robb Graham's 160-mpg hybrid. (His mileage is improving!) But if you think that's impressive...

Now that's a hybrid! The engineer who came up with this idea should run for office! ;-)

McLarty: Rounds Needs to Disavow GOP Platform on Ethanol

Who says running for PUC can't be fun?

Democratic candidate for the Public Utilities Commission Matt McLarty is calling on Governor Mike Rounds and other top South Dakota Republicans to disavow the national GOP platform's rejection of ethanol. (I thought John McCain said our energy policy needs to be "all of the above"?). Good call, Matt!

Reminder: John Thune is already on the record saying the GOP platform's call to end the renewable fuel standard for ethanol is a "big mistake." Let's hope the rest of South Dakota's GOP leaders will call attention to their party's rejection of South Dakota's economic interest.

Of course, the GOP could just leave that job to the Democrats, but there is an election coming, and I hear farmers vote....